www.cancer.gov 35 Nausea and vomiting What they are and why they occur Some types of chemotherapy can cause nausea, vomiting, or both. Nausea is when you feel sick to your stomach, like you are going to throw up. Vomiting is when you throw up. You may also have dry heaves, which is when your body tries to vomit even though your stomach is empty. Nausea and vomiting can occur while you are getting chemotherapy, right after, or many hours or days later. You will most likely feel better on the days you do not get chemotherapy. There are drugs that can help prevent nausea and vomiting. These are called antiemetic or antinausea drugs. You may need to take them 1 hour before each chemotherapy treatment and for a few days after. How long you take them after chemotherapy will depend on the type of chemotherapy you are getting and how you react to it. If one antinausea drug does not work well for you, your doctor can prescribe a different one. You may need to take more than one type of drug to help with nausea. Acupuncture may also help. Talk with your doctor or nurse about treatments to control nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Ways to manage nausea and vomiting Prevent nausea. One way to prevent vomiting is to prevent nausea. Try having bland, easy-to-digest foods and drinks that do not upset your stomach. These include plain crackers, toast, and gelatin. To learn more, see the list of Foods that are easy on the stomach on page 55. Plan when it’s best for you to eat and drink. Some people feel better when they eat a light meal or snack before chemotherapy. Others feel better when they have chemotherapy on an empty stomach (nothing to eat or drink for 2 to 3 hours before treatment). After treatment, wait at least 1 hour before you eat or drink. Eat small meals and snacks. Instead of three large meals each day, many people find it easier to eat if they have five or six small meals and snacks. It also helps not to drink a lot before or during meals and avoid lying down right after you eat. Eat and drink items that are not too hot nor too cold. Give hot foods and drinks time to cool down or make them cooler by adding ice. You can warm up cold foods by taking them out of the refrigerator 1 hour before you eat or warming them slightly in a microwave. Drink cola or ginger ale that is warm and has lost its fizz.
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